This invention relates to an exercise table and more particularly to an exercise table which permits exercise while aligning succeeding portions of the spine in an aligned position. Furthermore the exercise table described herein is foldable to reduce the necessary storage space when the exercise table is not being used.
There are many exercise tables in use which are foldable and are intended for use on the neck and back. Many of these exercise tables are intended for use by a person lying on his back. Furthermore, these exercise tables have head rests and some even have rollers and/or wheels which move along the back to stimulate the back of the person using the exercise table. However none of these exercise tables are equipped with means to allow the person using the exercise table to perform their exercise and at the same time align portions of the spine and also maintain alignment in the spine.
For example U.S. Pat. No. 1,539,214 (Shockey) describes a flat table for exercise which is foldable for use as a settee when being stored. Shockey also has spring arms to provide tension against a person using the table when rotating thereon. But Shockey lacks any alignment means for the spine of the person using the table.
Another example of an exercise table is U.S. Pat. No. 3,561,022 (James) which describes a health slant board which pivots on the apex of a triangular base. James' table is only intended to provide a person using the table to bring his feet higher than his head.
An example of a rocking device is U.S. Pat. No. 2,417,618 (Scott) which is a toy rocker. Scott is not intended for use with a supine person and is not provided with any spine alignment means or support.
Examples of sophisticated exercise tables are U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,626,065 (Rosenquist) and 3,881,469 (Kanemitsu). The former is a chiropractic table which provides rollers to move along the back of a supine person using this table. Rosenquist also provides elevation of different ones of the rollers by the person activating same with his feet. However, Rosenquist does not provide any spine alignment means for the person using the table. Likewise in the latter exercise table there are provided numerous wheel like supports which are spaced along the length of a two-portion table. The two portions of the table each move in a circular motion to exercise the waist muscles by the adjacent ends of the two portions being raised and lowered continuously by a motor driven rod. The wheel like supports are used to provide a massaging effect along the entire body by the rollers making contact along the back of the person using the table. No where does Rosenquist describe a table provided for a person lying thereon to rock back and forth and to move longitudinally head first along alignment devices which simultaneously straighten and maintain straightness of the spine of the person using the table.
In another example of a device of the present art there is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 1,904,039 (Bruder) a preformed pad with no provisions for alignment of the spine of the user.
Lastly, in two examples of devices of the present art U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,721,709 (Odell) and 2,475,289 (MacGregor), there are provided a support table with gripping means. The latter additionally includes longitudinal rocking means. But nowhere do either of these disclosures describe spine alignment means or means for maintaining the spine alignment.
What is desired is an exercise table which provides support for a person using same in a lateral rocking manner and providing spine alignment means and means for maintaining the spine in an aligned manner while so rocking the exercise table.
The present application solves this problem in a novel and heretofore unobvious manner which will be described below.